


All I Need

by clubtropicana



Category: Mystery Science Theater 3000
Genre: Established Relationship, Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Light Angst, M/M, im sad :(
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 11:04:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20599724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clubtropicana/pseuds/clubtropicana
Summary: Mike is a family man, and the thought of a big family, with real-live children? Just too tempting.





	All I Need

**Author's Note:**

> its very late so i apologize in advance
> 
> -

Mike would consider himself a family man, sure! Growing up in southern Wisconsin with 4 brothers and 3 sisters, Mike knew his way around running a family. Between different schedules, big breakfasts where everyone is scrambling for a plate and as many eggs as they can stuff down their gullets, or bedtimes where at least one child causes a fuss, Mike knew all of it. So living in a house of 5 - or ... 2 people, 3 robots, was unusual for Mike, and something felt ... empty. Deep down he knew what he wanted, something deep in his 33-year old heart called to him ... A child.

The adoption process couldn't be too difficult, and what could possibly go wrong! Mike thought to himself, sitting in the same position, resting on their king-size bed with a magazine still firmly grasped in his hand from where he had gotten lost in thought. As he looks back to the magazine, snapping himself out of his thoughts, Mike reads the question he had read 5 minutes before. "Do you consider yourself a family man?" Ah, right. That was what had stirred it. With a puff of air, Mike rose from his spot on the bed, slapping the magazine down on the bedside table. Giving a stretch, Mike thought it over once more. Surely Joel wouldn't mind having a real-live-child? Right? He had made 4 'robot-children' before, whats one more - and bonus, this one is real! He taps his finger to his chin, before giving himself a look-over in the mirror.

Mike couldn't exactly see himself as father material just yet, and especially not a child calling him 'dad' or 'father'. The 'bots didn't even call him 'dad', they called him "Mark", "Mitchell", "Marvin", and those weren't even his name! Un-furrowing his brow, Mike heaves a sigh and decides to find Joel. Talking it out would surely help, especially with such a decision as this. If Joel was busy, he'll just bring it up another time, but now, now he felt right.

Mike stepped down the hallway, his eyes glancing at the pictures that decorated the wall. Such happy memories, maybe more would be added soon, if all goes well. Mike smiles to himself, before peeking around the hallway corner. Sure enough, Joel was there, fussing about the 'bots as usual, Crow tucked neatly on his hip, his dangly legs wrapped around Joel's hips to keep from falling, and Tom Servo hovering close by, nagging him about something.

With a tap to the wall, Joel's eyes darted to see what the noise was, his gaze falling upon Mike. "Oh goodness, you scared me." Joel mutters with a smile. "I was wondering when you we're going to get up."

"Mm, just tired I suppose. I was barely able to get to sleep, no thanks to you." Mike sneers at Crow. "Banging pots and pans outside! I'm surprised we didn't get a damn noise complaint!"

Crow gasped, turning his head to Joel. "He said a bad word!"

Joel simply laughs. "It's okay, honey." He puts down Crow gently, patting him on the back before slowly making his way over to Mike, quickly running a hand through his hair. "You have something on your mind, you have that look on your face. And-and make it quick, I have breakfast to make, and robots to dress." Joel mumbles in his always-sleepy voice.

Mike sighs, leaning against the wall. "I wanted to talk about something ... something quite important."

"Important? Here we go ..."

"Joel, for real this time. I know last time I said it was important, it was money for ice pops, but this time I'm serious, okay?" Mike tries to keep a straight face.

Tom Servo tugs on Joel's shirt, only getting a quiet "just a moment" from Joel, before his eyes turn back to Mike. "Listen." Mike brings his voice down to a whisper. "Why don't we ... adopt a kid."

There's a beat of silence before Joel's face only falls. "Mike, you said you were 'for real' this time." He says, a twang of disappointment in his voice.

Mike only stares, his gaze firmly planted on Joel's confused one. He's not even sure what to say, out of all the possibilities, he didn't think Joel would think he was joking. Mike's gaze flicks to the carpeted hallway floor before back up. "I'm being serious, I'm not kidding." He reassures, his head shaking ever so slightly.

Joel stares back, he's not sure what he should be feeling right now, yet somehow, he feels everything hit him all at once. He shakes his head with a confused laugh, looking over his shoulder to check on the robots behind him, playing and shouting in the living room. As he watches them play, like there's no care in the world, building up small buildings out of blocks and then smashing them down like they were huge Godzilla-like monsters, he doesn't understand how Mike could want any more. These robots were everything to Joel, they may not be human but they were still figuratively his children. He cleaned them, dressed them, fed them, housed them, - built them, for gods sake.

"... Are they not enough for you?" Joel mutters, his head still turned to the side, afraid to face Mike, for he might see the disappointment written all over his tired features.

"Not enough?" Mike chuckles confusedly. "They're more than enough. I just want something more. Something ... something ..." He gestures wildly with his hands, trying to find the proper words to not upset Joel.

"I ... I can make more, if that's what you want. I can make as many as you want." Joel gestures to the robots behind him. "I'll do it, I'll make you one right now, see?"

Joel rushes past Mike, leaving him confused and in the dust as he ushers towards the garage, pulling his glasses from his pocket and resting them on his nose. With a shove, Joel opens the door to the garage, flicking on the practically-burnt-out light bulbs. His work station was a mess already, and this was going to make it worse, but he had to make it work. Joel was still confused, but if Mike wanted more robots, then sure, why not. It wasn't too hard, and he was more than happy to do it, but he just couldn't itch the scratch that was in the very back of his mind. A deep and horrible sadness. A feeling of worthlessness, not being good enough for anyone, never doing the right things.

"Joel, stop that, I don't want more robots!" Mike says as he opens the garage door to follow Joel, his words coming out harsher, louder than he had intended.

Joel stops, but simply freezes, his hands still, resting on his dusty desk, covered in screws, wood shavings, and many other objects. He was meant to please, and if they wanted an invention, they would get one, but now with Mike's rough tone ringing in his ears and his anxiety creeping in, he wasn't sure what to do anymore. Joel opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted by the door to the garage shutting, followed by Mike's footsteps.

"I'm so sorry." Mike's voice comes softer than he expected, the hand on Joel's shoulder causing him to flinch. "Look, I didn't mean to yell, I just - I mean, you, and the robots, and everything we have here, is more than enough, it's more than I could have ever asked for-"

"You want a kid, a human child. I understand, I got it." Joel mutters out. "I can't do that. I can't just make a human child out of screws and nails, and wood boards and paper plates, and - and slap it all together and have something! We have the robots. All I want is them and you."

"Life isn't all nuts and bolts and screws and paper plates, Joel! ... I want a lineage, something to carry on what we have here, the robots don't age, they'll never die, they can't have children, they'll never be parents, we'll never be grandparents! Don't you want that?"

"What do you want me to do?" Joel practically shouts, using a tone he never uses, only for jokes during a movie. "Turn them into real boys like they're Pinocchio and were the damn Blue Fairy of the story? Do you want me to replace them? I don't understand what you want!"

Mike rubs a hand across his forehead, the pressure threatening him to break a sweat. With a deep breath, Mike tilts his head and does his best to soften his voice, though he still feels a prick of anger running down his back. "I don't want you to do any of that." He pauses, before speaking again. "All I want is you, and if having you means having the 'bots too, that's great, because I love them like family. I met them before I even met you, and I would never-ever want anything to happen to them. And - and I'm so sorry, if I have upset you, with what I've said. I just don't want this damaging what we have. Please, do not think that I don't adore both you and the 'bots, because I do. There's a reason I'm married to you, there's a reason why I said 'I do', there's reasons for all of that. If you thought I don't think anything of you and them, why would I have ever done any of this? I adore you, in and out. Think of everything we have together, think of everything we've ever done together, with the 'bots and without. Isn't that crazy? Isn't that completely crazy? And it's perfect that way, because we have each other, and the 'bots. And if it's all you want, then it's all I need."

The only sound is a quiet sniffle from Joel. The air is tense with sorrow, regret, and apology, weighing down like you could cut through the air with a knife. Stepping ever so slightly to turn himself, Joel wraps his arms around Mike gently, the twinge in the back of his head now on full blast, forcing every unpleasant emotion into his brain like 2000 knives all at once. "I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry I made such a fuss."

"You didn't make a fuss. You have had a tough past few years and it was selfish of me to lash out at you for simply reacting."

Joel simply stays quiet at that, his arms still tightly wrapped around Mike, his face buried into his shoulder, his temples feeling the side of Mike's face, a slight prick from the stubble where he had missed a shave. Joel smiles gently, the words "if it's all you want, then it's all I need" replaying in his mind.

"I know you didn't mean anything. We - we were both forced to spend years without seeing any of our family, its only natural now that ..." His voice trails off.

"Yeah." Mike gently responds, "We have too much in common for us to be fighting like this."

A slight chuckle from Joel makes Mike smile, his hand raising to cup the back of Joel's head softly. It was all okay, really, and Mike knew this. If he hadn't known this, surely he would have never proposed in the first place. The thought makes him shiver.

"Breakfast." Mike mutters, lowering his face slightly lower to reach Joel's ear.

With a gasp, Joel pulls the glasses off of his face and rushes for the door but stops right before he can open it. Joel glances over his shoulder and gives Mike a toothy smile. "I love you very much."

"I love you too."

With that, Joel ushers into the house, and slowly his voice fades from Mike's hearing. With a sigh, Mike checks the time. 8:07 am, already late.

"Fuck!"

~


End file.
